The Pursuit of Hope
by ameshoujo
Summary: Walking on a path of violance, deceit and an endless search, Hei begins to ponder on the meaning of love, bonds and happiness. A sidestory to the series, introducing Hei's relationship with a character of my own, as powers struggle behind the shadows...
1. An Ordinary Night

Night had long fallen on the city... After a short summer rain, the clouds cleared letting the stars shine. A cool breeze carried a fresh scent. Large electronic billboards were silently displaying latest ads throughout the avenues for lone passers hurrying back home or some other destination. Nobody knew if this night would be an ordinary one or fate had designated a different path for them...

On a dark, narrow street a door opened, two men came out of a downtown bar. One of them seemed to be heavely drunk, leaning on the arm of his younger companion.

"This time you drank way too much, old man!"

"Whaaa! This is nothing!.. hk.. remember the day before your sister's wedding.. now that's what i call drinking!... ha ha ha haa..."

The younger man sighed. "..she still has grudge against you for that, i think..."

"Ha ha ha haa... grudge you say.. hkk... i know my cute little niece's grudges.. they last for at most a week he he heh..."

"Even if you say that, you should take care of yourself a little more.. you want to see how your grandchild grows, don't you?"

"Heh!.. when i become a grandpa i'll teach that little rat how to drink!.."

"Whaaat!..."

"That's the way to become a man!.."

"But uncle, it's going to be a girl, not a boy!.."

"A!.. was that so.. anyway... but i still don't understand!.. why doesn't Anna remember about me!..and I rocked her world that night like that!.. he he he...

"Uncle!.. again with that..."

"Yeaahhh. You could hear her joy from two blocks away, ha ha ha haaa..."

"Well.. you say that but are you sure about it?.. since she didn't seem to remember you at all. In fact, it seemed to me she made up that excuse just on the spot, saying she lost her memory of that day completely.. don't know why but seemed like a lie to me.." said the young man with a suspicious manner.

"Heh! What do you know!.. I told you!.. hk... she really had the time of her life!.." he yelled turning towards the man, but losing his balance. The other one grabbed him by the arm.

"Hey, hey! Careful now..."

"She did!" insisted the drunk.

"Ok, ok... she did... by the way, on that day you talk about, a lot of dead bodies were found near the area where she lives, by that river, right? She said the police even questioned her about it, but she couldn't remember anything at all about that day..."

"Hmm... yes, that's creepy... so many murders happening so close to her... poor Anna, she must've been frightened!.. those bastards!!." cried the man with rage.

"Certainly... hmm.. do you think she was frightened by something she saw and she doesn't want to recall it?.. or can't recall, actually..."

"Haaa?..." the man looked with a confused expression at the younger one who had a serious look in his face.

"Actually it has become more and more common lately... stories of people losing their memories regarding a certain time period or regarding certain people... it's said that they've seen something they shouldn't have, and their memories regarding that are somehow erased completely..." The older man look with disbelief.

"What are you babbling.. as if something like that were possible.. such dangerous man.. hk... would kill the witness in that case... why bother.. hk.. to erase their memory.."

"Because that would be too suspicious, of course! Killing is a serious crime, police would investigate afterall. If they were able to erase someone's memory like that, it would be very convenient for those kind of people..."

"Really?.. you think that could be true?.."

Now the couple turned a corner leading to a wide avenue filled with billboards.

"Yeah... in fact i know someone who lost the memory of her husband, whom she'd been married for two years!.."

"Really?!.. but are you sure she didn't hate the guy a lot?.." The man looked with disbelief.

"No.. not like that... she said she can't even remember his face!.. and it's said they were really happily married.. it's as if she never met that person... it's strange.. no, even creepy to forget such an important person completely... something must've happened to her memories, there's no other logical explanation... stories like that are common, nowadays..."

The older man had a stunned expression on his face.

"So.. that's it! Then my poor Anna must have faced something terrible that day! May be she saw those murderers, and they erased her memory because of it!.. that must be why she doesn't remember her time with me!.."

The younger male looked amused.

"Hey, now, old man.. aren't you jumping to the conclusion too fast?"

"Of course, that's what must've happened!.. there's no other way she'd forget about me!...ha ha ha haaaaa... but those bastards! Doing that to her!.. if i could just lay my hands on them!..." the man squeezed his fist with anger.

"Calm down, geezer.. you'd better stay away from those kind of men..." he lowered his voice. "There is also the rumour of dangerous people with extreme abilities..." he had a concerned look.

"Extreme abilities, my ass!.. I'll let them have a taste of my extreme fists!

"That's not what i mean.. like superhuman powers.."

"Superhuman?.." he had a puzzled look on his face.

A suspicious middle aged man, smoking, passed by them, casting a furtive glance at them while he passed. The younger male waited a moment until he was away and talked in a whisper.

"Hey, now don't tell anyone about this talk... government and police officials are hiding it but in forums on internet a lot of talk is going on about it.. since the crash of that meteorite ten years ago, these people started to appear, they say.."

"Haa.. what kind of people?..."

"Cursed people.. they have superhuman abilities like lifting object with mindpower, igniting objects, shooting invisible bullets from their hands... even flying!.." he said with a warning tone.

"Flying?.. have you been reading too much manga, you little bastard, haaa?.. ha ha ha haa..."

"I'm telling the truth!" cried the younger one. "That's the rumour spreading lately all over the net.. They say these people are related to the gate.."

"Gate? What gate..."

"The gate! You know those two strange places that appeared after the meteorite crashed on earth ten years ago! .. they built a gigantic wall covering the area, so nobody knows what's inside exactly.. but they say bizarre things happen in there, like the rules of physics change.. i also read they're making creepy experiments inside that Pandora facility built inside the gate... "

"Stupid, I know what the gate is!.. I'm asking which one!.. the Hell's gate in Tokyo, or that Heaven's Gate in South America.." yelled the drunken man.

"Which one?.. I don't know.. both of them!.." answered the younger man after a moment of hesitating. "Right after those gates appeared the rumours started... about these cursed people... they say those are humans whose souls were stolen by the gate in return for their powers... since then they lost all human emotion and turned into soulless beings.. killing machines.. anybody who witnesses one of those people have their memory erased about the incident by the government, in order to keep the public quiet..." whispered the younger man.

"Hmm... seems more like a science fiction story to me..." said the man looking at the other with one eyebrow up. "But whatever... those damned gates feel like something out of a horror movie too... even if they paint those walls with blue skies and clouds!.. pff.. that's even more creepy, god knows what evil they're covering with all that make up.. hk... who'd believe something like that would happen, ten years ago?.. that a meteor would crash.. hk.. and those two bizarre places would appear... and the moon would suddenly disappear from the skies forever.. and stars too!.. there isn't a single star in the sky now that we knew before!... all those Milky Way and the Bear thingy constellations hk... that we used to gaze with chicks at nights.. hk... are gone..." the man sighed. "Who knows whether those things shining at the sky are real or not!.. fake stars.. hmpf...like that fake clouds painted on that wall.."

"Yeah.. there is talk about that too... they say those stars are the stolen souls of the cursed humans, and when one of them die, his soul falls back to earth, like a falling star..."

"Fallen souls of cursed people... superhuman powers... goverment officials erasing peoples memories to conceal truth... are you sure you haven't drunk too much too?.. you sure know how to sound drunk, anyway he he he he..."

"Uncle!.." the younger man sighed.

"...whether real or not, who cares about it as long as nobody butts into my life.. you young people think too much!.. hk.. let me give you an advice.. ignorance is bliss my friend, you better learn that soon heh he..."

"Hmpf.. it's my fault trying to explain something to an old drunken geezer..." the young man whispered in a low voice. Then he heard footsteps approaching and lifted his head to see. A young girl in her twenties was walking towards their way, listening to music in high volume through headphones. She had a coat outlining her figure just long enough to cover her tighs, and underneath she wore plain jeans and boots on her slim legs. Her long black hair were swaying with every step she took.

_Wow... such a beauty at this hour... where could she be going... nice legs, by the way.. _thought the young man as she passed, then his train of thought were broken as she looked at them for an instant. _Wh.. what a pretty face!.. so innocent and charming..._

She walked past them and slowly disappeared while they turned around and stood watching her as she disappeared.

"Nice bottom... right, you little fox? He he hee .. stop surfing on the net and use your head to find a girl to lay down under the stars... even if they are fake!.. if you don't want to end up as a lone geezer one day!.." said the older man.

"You mean like you, uncle?.." teased the other.

"Like me, you bastard!.. I have my Anna!.."

"Well, Anna doesn't seem to have you, however.. eh he hee..." grinned the other.

"You are asking for it, young man! Come here!.." The older man pulled his ear, while the other tried to avoid.

"Come on, now uncle, heh he hee.. calm down.."

"You piece of.. I'll let you have it, this time!.. come here!..

"Uncle ok ok I give up!.."

The two men walked away on the silent avenue and disappeared into the night, leaving the avenue still again...

A little far away, the young girl was walking listening to the music flowing to her ears, softly whispering a sad melody. The wind blew brushing her hair to her face.

_Aahh!.. feels so nice tonight!... so still... wind is blowing nicely too.. i feel like wandering a little more tonight... I'll take the longer way home... _she thought and turned to another street whispering her melody...


	2. A Fated Encounter

A peaceful night at a town not far from the Gate... on a stone path covered with ancient trees, sound of leafs wavered as the wind gently brushed against them. A black cat was lazily swaying his tail on one of the trees, almost falling asleep. His half-closed eyes followed a small leaf which landed on his nose. Distracted, he got up to shake it off, stretched his back and jumped on the pathway. Ringing the tiny bell on his neck, he slowly walked towards a stairway leading to an old Japanese temple. Jumping up a few stairs, he stopped, turned his head back and listened for a remote sound. His green eyes gazed at the end of the alley. Momentarily his eyes widened. Turning back he jumped his way up until the end of the stairs.

Meanwhile, unseen in the shadows, a black figure was standing with his back on the temple wall, arms folded, gazing at the garden as he waited for something... He was dressed completely in black, with a long coat and leather gloves. Looking at his outfit he looked like some sort of secret agent or mob, the type you wouldn't want to cross paths with. His overall physical features were well fit for that kind of dangerous work, young in his twenties, tall, with an athletic build. His black outfit was complemented with straight black hair and dark eyes which now held a gaze that's not usually expected from a cold blooded night person. His face was tilted slightly up as he gazed at the stars behind the passing clouds, eyelids half closed as if remembering a sad event that may have taken place on a similar night, when the wind brushed his hair gently and the scent of the fresh soil could be felt. Just by looking at his face he seemed like a kind, innocent person meditating deeply in solitude.

Suddenly he was distracted by a faint ringing sound and small running footsteps approaching towards him. He broke his gaze from the sky and looked towards the stairs. A black cat appeared jumping up and run towards him. He stopped a few feet away, looked up and unbelievingly, with a human voice, spoke.

"Hei!.. he is coming!"

As if the fact that a cat is able to utter words is a common occurance, without any reaction other than taking a step from the wall he was leaning on, he replied.

"Ok.."

However, in an instant his expression and posture were completely changed to a deadly serious one. His eyes held an emotionless, cold gaze and you could feel from his stance that he would take you down anytime if you threatened him, and he wouldn't have a bit of mercy on you.

Hei took a few steps and stood by the side of the temple to avoid being seen, his back on the wall. He took out a white mask from his coat and put it on his face. The mask had a small figure of a lightning piercing the right eye and a straight red line for a mouth. It gave off a odd, creepy feeling.

A few minutes passed as hurried footsteps of a man climbing the stairs grew closer. A man seemingly in his mid-thirties, formally dressed in suits appeared. He was breathing heavily out of exhaustion and worriedly looked around as he walked towards the shrine. Hei calmly took a few steps forward to face the man, who was startled by seeing him get out of the shadows. Calmly, Hei spoke.

"Is the harvest ready yet?"

With a scared look on his face, the man replied.

"The.. the harvest is ready for the reaper to saw..."

"The item..." said Hei.

He gulped and took out a black box that seemed to be a container for something. He

took a step towards Hei to give it to him, when suddenly gunsots were heard. One of the shots scratched the arm of the man. Crying in pain he dropped the box on the ground. Hei, tumbling with a quick reflex, took cover inside the shrine. The frightened man lay down on the ground. He waited a few seconds after the shots stopped and then escaped towards the stairs, soon lost out of sight.

Standing on his knee Hei took out a large hunting knife from his side and scanned the area covered with trees where the shots were fired. It was too dark to see. He listened attentively for any movement. Suddenly out of nowhere the black cat run into the bushes creating a momentary distraction. Hei took the opportunity to rush out, took the box from the ground and run down the stairs as shots were fired after him without reaching the target. When he reached the bottom of the stairs he pulled out a metal wire connected to his belt and threw it towards the trees, catching one of the branches of a big tree. He pressed the mechanism on his belt and immediately was pulled up onto the tree, skillfully landing on a branch. Hiding in the dark he whispered to the communicator placed in his ear.

"Huang... i wasn't told there would be others targeting the item..."

It seems like a competitor is trying to get their hands on it..." replied a harsh voice.

"Yin... can you see the position of them? How many are there?"

A few miles away, in a dark narrow street a pale girl in a gothic dress stood on a water pool. Staring on the ground, she replied mechanically.

"There are two.. one is hiding behind the tree on the right side of the stairs.. the other is coming down the stairs toward you..."

The steps came closer as a man approached cautiously toward the trees, his gun in his hand. Hei watched the man from up the tree, while backing the tree to cover himself from possible shots. As expected, he held his gun up and fired a few shots towards the trees, one of them scratching the tree stem instead of Hei's face as he slightly pulled himself back. The man listened attentively trying to hear any movement, but other than the rustling of the trees everything else were silent. He took a few steps closer. He looked up but he couldn't see Hei hiding in the dark behind the branches. Looking at his right, he took a step forward to check other places, however he suddenly felt a cold wire curling around and grasping his neck. He clinged onto it desperately in fear to remove it, but instead gave out a dreadful scream as a high voltage shock was released through the wire. His body shaked uncontrollably and a few seconds later he dropped motionless on the grass. Hei pulled the wire back immediately and looked to the direction of the other assailant, who was still taking cover at the foot of the stairs.

Slow steps were heard approaching as a dark figure appeared far at the end of the alley. Hei stood still, waiting for the passer to appear. A minute passed as he saw a young girl approach with her hands in her pockets. She looked about twenty years old, dressed casually in jeans, boots and a coat that enveloped her slim figure. Her long straight black hair was let down freely. As she walked she was gazing at the scenery of the ally and the shrine in front of her, while humming a melody with a soft whisper.

_A student, perhaps..._ thought Hei. _Better pass quickly without getting in the way..._

Contrary to his wish, she stopped just in front of the tree Hei hid himself. She took out her ipod from her pocket.

"Come on, now!.. Don't die on me... that's my favorite song!" she said whining.

She shaked the device a few times and pressed some buttons desperately.

"Hopeless... " the girl finally gave up and put the device in her pocket. Just as she took a step to go, she noticed the body lying under the tree a few feet away from her. She was startled for a moment but quickly walked to him and knelt down, saying:

"Mister!.. Are you alright?.. mister..."

She poked the man, getting no response she touched his wrist to check his pulse. She quickly pulled her hand back.

"That's hot?!.." she said with surprise, but then again placed her hand on the man's wrist to feel his pulse. Her eyes widened as she felt none.

"No way..."

Meanwhile the other man silently stepped out of his hiding place and walked towards her. Hei looked at the approaching man, ready to move, as the girl hurriedly placed her hands on the dead man's chest to resuscitate him. However just as she was about to start massaging his heart, she paused.

"What's this..." she whispered, looking closer to his throat. "Burn marks?.." Puzzled, she pulled back. Then she heard approaching footsteps and turned to face the man, who wore black expensive suits. She narrowed her eyes, suspicious of the man.

"Are you and your friend alright, young madame? Were you attacked?!.." asked the man with a worried tone, looking around at the same time.

"No... i just found this person lying on the ground, his heart's not beating, he needs an ambulance immediately..." she said looking at the man.

"What?!.. that's terrible!.. but in these kind of situations we should try first aid before anything.. i don't know how but I can help if you tell me what to do..." he said in a concerned manner.

"Sure..." hesitated the girl.

_Better not tell him i noticed the burn marks... he looks suspicious, he might be testing me... _she thought.

_Trying to use her as a shield... _Hei watched them as he waited for the moment to act.

"Ok, sit by him and when you give two full breaths to him i will apply pressure to his chest, and then again..." she instructed him.

The man took a step forward as he secretly took out a gun from his back. Hei saw his intention but the frail tree branch slightly cracked with his weight giving out his location. Hearing it, both the man and the girl looked up, while in a flash a knife was thrown at the man which he avoided by falling back to the girl's side. Finding the opportunity the man grabbed her by the neck and fired a few shots toward the tree brach. However Hei had already flipped backwards, gracefully landing on his knees on the grass. The man aimed for another shot at him but instantly his gun was knocked off with another knife. Hei instantly he rushed forward, grabbed the man's arm folding it backwards while the released girl fell on her knees. Hei pushed the man down on the ground, almost breaking his arm in his grasp. In a demanding voice, he asked.

"Who do you work for?!.. tell me.." twisting his arm further.

"Aaaaarg....." The man screamed with pain, while the girl was frozen watching the scene happening in front of her. He cried:

"Ok, ok.. stop i will tell... I'm just hired to get the item.. we cut a deal on the phone... i don't know who he is..."

"Where were you instructred to take the item?.. where is he?.."

"I don't know.. he would call to tell the place after we got the item... please let me go now, i don't know anything else... aaaarrrggg... i swear..."

Suddenly the container Hei just left on the ground started to make a beeping sound. Hei lifted his head to look at it. Surprisingly the girl spoke.

"That case... it's our company's protection system for our samples...if you don't enter a code in the case in 90 seconds it self destructs to protect theft... i mean, it explodes!.."

Surprised, Hei asked.

"What?.. do you know how to disarm it?..."

"The code is known only by the client who ordered the item.. i may try to disarm it but very low chance to succeed... we better run quickly, i don't know how strong the explosion might be..."

"Try to disarm it if you can...quickly..." demanded Hei.

_Foooool.. why did you say you could disarm it, you giant foool..._ she swore at herself secretly, since now she had no choice but to try. She quickly knelt down by the container and opened it, entered a few codes onto the buttons inside.

Still holding the man in his grasp Hei watched her while she was busy with disarming. Taking advantage of the distraction the man freed his arm from Hei's grasp and threw him off, running for his gun. However as he reached for it he fell down motionless on the ground, struck on his back with the knife Hei threw. Making sure he was dead, he turned back to the girl staring in horror.

"Go on... quickly..." he said as he walked towards her.

She tried a few more codes, but the beeping sound seemed to get faster and faster. Hei stood by her.

"It's no good, i can't disarm it...we should run.." she said desperately, looking at him.

Hei bent down as and took the container, then threw it as far as he could on the pathway. Then grabbing her arm he quickly pulled her behind the nearest tree and held her firmly to shelter from the explosion, which came a few seconds later... or it should have been an explosion, but instead it sounded more like a puffing sound coming from inside the container. Both of them peeked at the box lying far on the ground, with smoke coming out of it.

Momentarily frozen with astonishment, the girl sighed with relief.

"That was an explosion?!... I was completely fooled by that jerk at the security department... but still it seems so weak.. I wonder if it even destroyed the contents..." she mused.

Hei released her from his grasp as she remembered the danger of the man behind her. With a shy look, she turned around to face him.

_An innocent type, and so young... she really works for that company?... doesn't look like the type... _thought Hei for a moment.

"Do you work for the company that produced this item?.." he asked quietly.

"Y..yes. I work at the laboratory, as an assistant researcher..."

"Did you know there would be a transaction tonight?"

"No... They don't tell us anything about those stuff... we just prepare what's asked of us in the lab... but indeed there was a really urgent compound that was to be completed for today... that's why i was so late tonight... she sighed... but i don't know if this is the same one here..."

Hei looked at her silently for a few seconds. Trying to break the silence, she spoke.

"Are.. were you supposed to take the compound to the purchaser?.." she asked hesitatingly.

"Yes... if those two didn't interrupt."

Saying that, Hei turned and walked towards the container still intact lying on the floor. The girl followed after a moment of hesitation. Hei knelt down to look inside the container, however the contents were already distroyed.

Hei stood up and turned to her.

"Your name is..."

Surprised, the girl replied.

"Yuki..."

"I'll let you go since you work for the client. But don't ever talk to anybody about what happened tonight, understood?.." said Hei almost in a whisper, meanwhile implying she would certainly get into trouble if she did.

Message taken, Yuki replied.

"Ok... i won't tell anyone..."

"Good.. now go, before anyone see you..."

"Ok... then... I'm going..."

She turned around and walked away, but then stopped and turned back.

"Ah.. by the way, thank you for sheltering me from that explosion..." she said smilingly, and then she turned and run away, disappearing after a corner.

Hei watched her as she was gone.

"Is it allright to let her go, Hei?.." asked the cat, now standing beside Hei.

"She's part of the client, they can handle it themselves... besides she may be necessary to complete the mission... if she makes any stupid moves, then..."

"Then... it would be nice to pay a second visit to such a beauty like her, isn't it?..." teased the cat. "Say, Hei, how long has it been since you last dated such a pretty girl in the middle of the night?.. he he he..."

"Don't say stupid things... talk to Huang, about the mission..." he said, walking away.

"Hmpf...with that attitude you'll never get the girl anyway..." said the cat, following after him.

Meanwhile Yuki slowed down as she approached her home. Her heart was beating fast from running and she was still astonished with the events she witnessed.

_Pff.. that was a really close call. He looked like... no really was a very dangerous guy.. I think he shocked that man, then he killed the other with the knife.. and he did it so swiftly... He could kill me too if he wanted... or at least he could knock me unconscious in that moment he held me..._ thought Yuki, suddenly blushing with the thought of him holding her tight in his arms.

_Am i getting confused because he protected me?.. he must've done it to get information from me about the company... what else would he be willing to let me go.. he certainly was a contractor, but still he felt different somehow... he didn't get my memories erased either... it seems like a risk to let me go... a contractor with compasison?.. feels odd... _

She entered her apartment and almost threw herself to the shower.

_Aahhh!.. i don't understand anymore!.. i'm just glad he let me go... underneath that creepy mask what kind of person is he, I wonder... his voice felt kind... tonight was he just following a logical course of action... or can there be a kind person deep inside... if that's really possible for a contractor of course... _thought Yuki as she finally threw herself on her bed and slowly fell asleep wondering about the events of the night and if she'd ever get to see him again...


	3. An Unusual Overtime Part 1

It was past noon. In a small children's playground located between two apartment complex, a young man wearing a casual white sleeve and jeans sat on a bench encircling a sakura tree. His head was tilted down in contemplation. Next to him a black cat was licking his paws. A middle aged, short and fat man slowly walked towards the bench and sat a little far from him. Without looking at him, he spoke.

"Hei.. we will complete the mission again tonight..."

"Location?.." he asked.

"Since last time someone attempted to steal the item, we'll get it directly from the producer's research lab. The organization want it in their hands as soon as possible. No screwing up this time."

"The research lab?.."

"That big building three blocks away from the station. You will receive the item from the researcher girl you saw last night."

The cat lifted his head excitedly and looked at Hei.

"See, Hei!.. you got another chance to meet that beauty!.. don't waste it this time..." he said blinking his eye. Ignoring his remark, Hei asked:

"What about the attackers?"

"The organization couldn't identify who might have given away the details of the meeting, but it's too risky for them to expose themselves in a government facility like that. Anyway, be cautious about it. Wait for my instruction near the station before midnight... ok?"

"Ok..." Without saying anything else, Hei stood up and walked away.

The cat looked after him.

"That Hei fellow... he's never going to get a lover with that attitude... i wonder if he ever knows what it means..." he said hopelessly, scratching his ear.

"Give it up, that one is hopeless... soulless contractors don't need a lover anyway. They just use and throw people away like thrash when they're done..." He said in a detesting tone, throwing the cigarette stump he held in his hand on the ground.

"Again that talk?.. hmpf... what does an old crock like you know about love anyway..." said the cat, then jumped off the bench and slowly walked away swaying his tail. Huang took out another cigarette from his pocket, placed it in his lips and lighted it up. He took in a deep breath staring at the burnt stump on the ground, and then squeezed it flat with his foot.

Meanwhile, at the fifth floor of the research facility located near the train station, people in white lab coats were busily walking in and out of rooms filled with expensive lab equipment. They stopped for a moment and looked towards a closed door, as a rebellious cry was heard.

"Professor!.. why do I have to do it?... I've been working until midnight for days and just as i was finished going home you have to tell me such a thing... that's not fair!.. why can't you do it?.." whined Yuki to the man standing before her with a desperate look on her face.

"I'm sorry, Yuki... they especially want you to do it, I don't know why... they were pretty clear about that.. and pretty serious too." said the tall man in his 40's.

"But why?.. Why would they want a young girl like me for such a suspicious assignment?.." She looked into his eyes with large puppy eyes. "You've been making me work restless for weeks and I haven't got any sleep at all for days and I'm afraid to be all alone in the middle of the night in this huge building, it's creepy and.. and... it's better if someone else does it... a strong man... an adult with real life experience... right, proffessor?.. for example.. someone like you!.." she said with sparkles in her eyes.

"Ha ha haaa... Yuki, you're as homorous as usual... It's not such a complex task..." He adjusted his glasses. "Well... truthfully I'm not completely comfortable leaving you all alone with a stranger in the middle of the night but... you're a strong girl. If anything suspicious happens, i'm sure you'd deal with it much better than me, with all the training you had back in your grandfather's place.. he was the master of a martial arts school if i remember correctly?.. surely you learnt some tricks there..."

"But that was too long ago..." she protested. Ignoring her,

"If anyone tries to touch you, you'd kick his ass like KYAAA..." he blew a kick high in the air, which exposed the pink socks he wore. Yuki lowered her head in desperation touching her forehead, and took a step back to distance herself from him.

"...and with a punch right to his stomach like KYAAAA..." He blew an imaginary punch in the air. "Then the final blow with a flying kick like..." suddenly turning back, he jumped and blew another kick high in the air. "KYAAAAAAA...A?.." His kick ended up on a steel cabinet, as he froze with his feet up while red color filled his face.

Without lifting her head, Yuki glanced at him, with a faint smile forming on her lips. Her proffessor was now jumping on one foot holding his injured leg.

"Allright.. allright.. now that you insist so much!.." she said closing her eyes, lowering her shoulders in defeat. _Since my kicks would certainly be more effective than yours anyway... _

Hearing that, the aching man let go of his injured leg and happily patted her back.

"I knew I could trust you, my dear number one assistant!"

"Yes... you're welcome..." she said unexcitedly.

"Jokes aside, there's really nothing to worry. You will only be handing the compound to the man coming here at midnight, that's all. It will be over in a few minutes. Unfortunately I have to leave since they don't want anyone else on the building, but still there will be the security guard downstairs. So if anything happens press the emergency button and he'll come immediately."

"Ok... understood and ready for mission..." she said with a spiritless voice.

"Haha.. don't look so down now, it's not gonna be like a spy movie..." he said walking towards the door, faltering with pain as he stepped on his injured foot.

"Ask me about that..." she whispered quietly after him. Turning back, he said:

"What... did you say something?"

"No, no... proffessor, nothing... eheheh.. by the way, what about the man who will come tonight? How will i know him?"

"How?.. I don't know who he is but as i said he will be on the storage room exactly on midnight. You remember the password to open the storage unit, right?"

"Yes..."

"OK, then! Problem solved! It's time for me to go now.. you quietly stay here until the rendezvous..."

"OK, sensei..." She sat on her chair in front of a wide and crowded desk.

"Don't worry, and don't forget to call me afterwards!.." he said looking back as he left the room, closing the door after him.

_Hmpf.. go to your warm sweet bed... leave me on this cold lonely room! I'm used to using my laptop as a pillow anyway... s_he tought as she put her head on the laptop in front of her, pursing her lip in self-pity. She opened her eyes, looking blindly at a green plant placed at the corner of the room.

_It's not that I'm afraid but... i don't like being used for this kind of dirty work... and i don't want to be involved with contractors... _She looked at the white petals of the flower in the middle of the plant.

_It would be fine if HE came... at least i know him... _She tilted her head and straigtened herself.

_But they would probably use an intermediary like yesterday... in that outfit if he were seen entering the building it would be suspicious..._ she thought as she lifted the lid of her laptop, turning it on.

_Who does he work for, I wonder... does he even know what this compound is for? I don't think so... probably he's just doing what he's told to do, without any real devotion to anything.. no aspirations, no passion... _

She looked outside, across the window. The roofs of buildings and the great wall of the Gate behind could be seen far away.

_Aspirations, huh?.. who's to say that... I found myself stuck at the same vicious circle, again... the same thing i tried to avoid for all these years... I don't like this... not at all..._

She stared outside towards the gate for a minute, then she typed some adress on her laptop.

_So, I have to spend some time until midnight... better make use of this time... _

She surfed through the net for almost an hour. She gasped when she saw the clock written on the corner of her screen.

_Damn! I have to go to the storage unit!... it's almost midnight!.._

She hurriedly got out of the room to a wide hallway. It was silent although all the lights were on, reflecting brightly on the white floor. She closed the door of the office she shared with the proffessor. The sound of the closed door echoed through the building.

_Creepy... _she thought and walked away.


	4. An Unusual Overtime Part 2

In a dark narrow street near the station, Hei was waiting for instructions. He didn't have his mask on. Through the communicator he heard Huang speak.

"Hei... Enter from the left side door of the building. Use the emergency stairs to go up to the fifth floor. Walk straight, turn left and the second room on the right there is a storage unit. You will meet the girl there, exactly on midnight. She knows you from yesterday so there's no need to parole... get the item quickly then use the same path back... the security guard and cameras will be off for 15 minutes... understood?

"OK.."

"Fine.. now go..."

"Yin..." said Hei.

"It's ok.. you can go in now..." said the girl through the communicator.

As instructed Hei walked towards the door which was left open for him previously. He looked around, seeing nobody's around to see, he quickly put his mask on and entered inside. The door opened to a large hallway, which was leading to the wide entrance of the building. He saw elevators in front of him in the hallway, and next to it the emergency stairs. He quickly opened the door of it and run upstairs until the fifth floor. There he slowly walked and stopped in front of the described room.

"Storage Unit. Only authorized personnel is allowed". was written on the door. He opened it and entered inside. The girl from yesterday was standing leaning her back to a wall, surprised as she saw him.

"You!.." she said taking a step forward. Hei looked at her as she stared at him for a moment.

"What... surprised?.." he said in a whisper.

"Ah... sorry, i thought someone else would be coming... so i was a little surprised, that's all..." she said shyly.

"Someone else?.."

"Yes... an intermediary or something like that, a normal person..." she said, instantly blushing with the last comment she made. _Shit!.. i think i just insulted him!.. _she thought.

"I mean!.. someone not so suspiciously dressed... ah.. i didn't mean to.. the way you dress looks really cool but i meant i was expecting someone with ordinary clothing... with suits and all that normal, formal clothing... eheh..you know, not to draw attention..." she said nervously.

_Yuki you fool, now you insulted his clothing style too.. _she swore at herself secretly, her shoulders low in desperation.

"You don't need to worry about that. The item..." said Hei without any reaction.

"Ah.. yes, sorry..." she said. _Why am i so nervous... it's not the first time i'm encountering something like this..._

She hurried to the large metalic door and took out one enclosed tube. She placed it in a black container similar to the one she saw the previous night.

"Do you want me to activate the protection system?.. she asked holding it towards Hei.

"No need.. he said, taking it from her. He placed it in a bag attached to his back and walked towards the door. He opened the door,then looked back to her.

"You can leave 10 minutes later..."

He stepped out of the room, when a mechanic sound was heard echoing through the hallway. Hei stopped and looked attentively towards the direction of the sound.

"Is anyone else supposed to be in the building now?" without turning back he asked to the girl who was still watching him.

"No... only a security guard who's supposed to be at the ground floor... she replied."

Suddenly all the lights went off. Hei cautiously walked towards the dark end of the hallway. He was just about to turn the corner when suddenly a door next to where he stood opened and something with the shape of a boomerang was thrown towards him. He quickly tumbled away in order to avoid it which seemed to follow after him but thanks to Hei's quick reflexes just ended up stuck on the floow beneath his feet. Hei stood up holding his knife with an aggresive stance. A man appeared coming out of the door. He looked like a punk from a local gang. He confidently walked towards Hei with a smirk on his lips.

"My my... to think you were so easily caught..." he said.

Hei intended to throw his knife at him but... _I can't move..._ he realized an invisible force was preventing him from moving.

"Don't waste your effort in vain... you have already fallen for my power.. ha ha ha..."

Hei saw with the corner of his eye that the boomerang pinned on the ground beside him was emitting a forcefield restraining his movement like an invisible web.

"Sorry but I have to kill you before i take the item, since you'll electrocute me if i touch you, right?.. smirked the man and took out a gun from his belt, pointing it towards him.

_That doesn't look good.. if i release my electricity fully I may be able to burn this thing holding me..._ thought Hei in a flash... his irises turned red as he readied to release his power.

"Heh heh... i told you give up, didn't i... what can you do without moving?.." he said with an ugly smirk, his finger pressing the trigger a little more.

Hei was about to release his power when he saw a shade standing behind the man. The man sensed it too and said:

"Little lady... don't think i didn't notice you there!.." he said confidently, suddenly turning back to point the gun at her face.

"Where the hell did she go?.." he was startled as in an instant she had knelt on the ground to avoid a coming bullet, and without losing a second she rushed forward.

"What..." without realizing what's going on, he was chrashed hard against the wall with a broomstick Yuki swinged with full force. He fell on the ground, his lip burst open bleeding. His gun dropped on the floor. Yuki pushed it away with her feet.

"Don't try anything funny!" she said coldly, pointing the stick toward the man lying on the floor half unconscious.

_She's holding it like a katana... thought_ Hei, still unable to move. Yuki turned back to Hei, seeing he was still restrained she hit the cross pinned by his feet with the broom in order to release him. He was set free.

"Are you allright?.." she said with a worried look.

"Not a bad move..." he said quietly ignoring her question as he walked towards the man. He pressed his feet on his neck while he made strangling sounds. Yuki, surprised,

"What are you doing?.."

"Who sent you..." increasing the pressure a little more. "How did you know transaction would be here?.. speak!..."

"Hey... calm down, he can't speak don't you see!.." panicked Yuki, sensing the murdorous intent emitting from him.

Without any response, Hei slightly drew his foot back to let him breathe. The man coughed intensely.

"I... heard from my contact... i don't know who he is... he said..." he coughed fiercely.. "someone would come to take the item at midnight"

Hei narrowed his eyes. "So it's an inside information..."

The man was still coughing, holding his neck. "let me go now, ok... I told you all I know..."

"Is that so..." he said, drawing his foot from his neck to his chest.

"Let me get something to restrain him, then i can call the cops.." pleaded Yuki. "Wait just a minute, ok?"

Turning her back she hurriedly took a few steps but froze with fear as she heard a piercing shriek from the man that lasted for a few seconds, until he became silent. She turned back hastily. Hei removed his feet off him and looked at the bewildered girl, walking towards her direction.

Confused, "Why..." she said. "Why did you kill him! He was no threat to you anymore!"

"He was useless..."

"So?.. you didn't have to kill him!.. cops could handle it!" rebelled Yuki in vain.

"Why do you care whether he lives or not... he is a murderer who kills without a second thought.. mercy is not needed for the likes of him." He stopped next to her. "He is not a human, a coldblooded contractor. Don't waste your compassion on him."

Buffled for a moment by the coldness of his response, hecticly she replied:

"What are you saying... contractors are human too!.." Hei looked at her. "at.. at least they are people who deserve the right to be treated like a person! Not just like a lifeless machine..." her voice saddened. "You too are a contractor, aren't you? Can you say that about yourself too?.."

Hei looked at her for a moment before replying. "You seem to have a wrong idea about contractors. Don't get close too them if you don't want to get hurt." Saying that he turned and walked back the way he came.

Yuki watched him leave as she whispered to herself sadly, "It's too late for that unfortunately.. i already..."

Hei walked back to the narrow street where he left his clothes stuffed in a bag. "The mission is complete. Someone tried to interfere, i took care of him. He said he got the information from someone inside the organization. There might be a traitor."

"Traitor?.." replied Huang through the communicator. "That's serious... i will tell the organization immediately about it... you bring the item tomorrow as told.."

"OK..." Hei replied, then he quickly changed into his old clothes to avoid suspicion while he went back to his apartment.

He turned the corner leading to the street where he lived. Mao jumped next to him from a wall and accompanied Hei, swaying his tail as he walked.

"So.. how did it go with the girl tonight?.." asked the cat teasingly, looking at him.

Hei kept walking, his hands in his pocket. "What are you mumbling..."

"Don't act ignorant now... she obviously had the hots for you last night with all that thank you and smiling when she left... actually it's a chance good enough for you that she didn't run away crying in fear after seeing you coldbloodedly take down those man..."

After thinking for a moment, he replied:

"She seems to have a wrong idea about contractors, that's all..."

"What!... so something did really happen between the two of you?... now that's a shocking development, Hei!.. what really happened exactly?" Mao asked excitedly.

"Don't be stupid... there's no way something like that can happen..." he said wearily.

"Hmpf... cold fellow..." he moaned, then he run ahead and climbed on a tree to find a comfortable spot to sleep.


	5. A New Tennant

Hei heard sounds of stuff being carried into the unoccupied room next to him. _I guess someone is moving in..._ he tought sitting next to the window while devouring his meal. In about two minutes he devoured every last piece of food in five bowls in front of him. Then he carried the empty bowls to kitchen to wash.

_There's nothing to do today... I'll have walk by the river for a while.._ He put on his shoes and got out of his room. Men were busily carrying things into the room next to his, furniture, plants, a table, tv, music set, bed and other stuff which are normally expected to be found in a normal household. _May be too much for a small apartment like this..._ thought Hei puzzled by the abundance of goods, wondering how they would fit all in that small room...

"Careful with the bed!.. ok, lift it up now or it won't pass through the door!" shouted a man inside, while others busily took out other stuff from the carrier truck parked downstairs.

Hei walked down while he heard a ruckus coming from the small veranda in the middle of his apartment complex.

"Hey! No cheating i said!" shouted the cheerful girl.

"Hey... let's write his name too!.. let's see if she can guess it right!" said the anime freak.

"Yeah.. good idea!.." cheered the crazy rocker as he played some noisy riffs on his guitar, while the quiet basketball player silently drank his beer.

The fun loving student group had gathered as usual sitting around a table, drinking and playing games. But today there was one more person whom Hei didn't see before. A girl in a light green dress was standing, reaching to the other side of the table in order to get something from the female student who in turn playfully kept it out of her reach. The short dress she wore revealed long shapely legs as she tried to reach to the other side of the table. Hei couldn't see her face as her long black hair was partly covering her face.

"Hey you!.. Don't cause trouble for our new tennant! I'm talking to you!.." shouted the old landlady under the stairs, waving a broom in her hand in a threatening way.

The group, including the girl turned their heads towards the old woman, but then continued their ruckus ignoring her. However the girl smiled:

"Nothing to worry about... we were exchanging some photos, that's all" she said in a kind manner.

_That girl..._ Hei thought with a surprised look on his face.

Sighing, "well, if you say so... but don't let them sway you to their shallow lifestyle, ok!" said the old woman, then turned around and left.

_It's that girl from the pharmaceutical company... she moved here? _

The girl, still smiling replied after the old woman.

"Ok!.. no worries!.."

Then she noticed Hei standing on the stairs looking at her. She looked at his face attentively for a moment as if she was trying to remember something, then in an attempt to introduce herself she bowed to him and in a cheerful voice she said:

"Hi!.. I'm the new tennant, Yu..." an extremely loud and irritating guitar riff interrupted her.

"Nooo!... introducing youself is not allowed!... it's against the rules of the gaame!.. he has to make a guess on it..." shouted the crazy rocker as he kept playing more irritating riffs.

Hei looked at the group in a puzzled way.

"Brother!.. come join us in our game.." cheered the female student.

"Well.. actually..." murmurred Hei, interrupted by the girl:

"Come on now, you'll get to be introduced to this pretty young lady here!.." she winked.

"But.. I.." he hesitated to find an excuse to escape from the situation.

"Sorry for all the noise caused by my staff being carried inside..."Yuki said sofly.

"If you have a few minutes we'll be playing a game of introduction.. well... it' more like writing our names on cards and guessing the owner of the card.." she said, pointing to the obviously drunk group, "...but our friends here really are enthusiastic about this way of introduction." she smiled. "So, would you like to join us for a few minutes?" she kindly asked.

"I see..." replied Hei, still having a puzzled look on his face, managed to smile back,

"OK, then.. of course..." saying that he and Yuki both sat around the table.

"Listen, everyoone!" shouted the rocker. "I'm announcing the rules of the gaame!.. everybody write your names on one side of the card and your alias on the other! Then fold it to hide your name and put it in the baasket. Each person will draw one card and try to guess the person from his alias! Understood?.."

"Alias?" asked Hei with a puzzled look.

"Yess... something that represent youu!.." replied the rocker.

"Like your friends gıve you nick names in high school.. bunny, nerd, slug or waterworks if you cried all the time... ha ha haaaa!" wickedly laughed the girl, probably remembering her school days.

"İs that so..." Hei looked more puzzled. "I don't really get it but..."

"Don't worry, bro! Just write something that goes along with you.." she replied.

"Hmm... ok, then... i'll give it a shot."

"Yeah!.. that's the spirit!.." cried the rocker.

"OK, everyone, write your names on these cards now" said the anime freak, passing a few cards to everyone.

Hei thought for a moment before writing, then put the card in the basket.

"Here you go..."

"I'm done too!.." said Yuki cheerfully.

"Ok, now everybody draw one card from the basket and make your guess!".. said the rocker.

First the girl picked a card and read the alias.

"Otaku?.." a vein popped on her forehead. "Isn't this too obvious, you silly! Don't you have any other qualities about you other than anime?.."

"What're you saying! Japanese anime is my life!.." he replied passionately.

"OK, next one is mee..." said the rocker, reading the card in his hand."Basket... hm... could it be... a shopping basket?.. hey, new sister, by any chance you like shopping a lot?..."

"Me?.. no no.. i mean i of course i like but not that much eh eh.." replied Yuki.

"What kind of guess is that!.. as if there's any women who doesn't like shopping!" cried the angry girl throwing an empty beer can towards him, which he dodged. "It says basket! İt means basketball, of course! Gosh, you didn't undertand the rule at all.. what kind of alias is this?" she stood up angrily towards the black basketball player.

"It's because my balls never miss the basket when i play." he replied calmly.

"Haaa?..." looked the girl puzzled.

Meanwhile Yuki watched their ruckus, smiling with her hand on her chin, amused by their spirits.

"Hot melons?..." the basketball player read in a puzzled voice... "hot melons.. hmm..." He meditated on the meaning of the words for a minute... until the cheerful girl with a grin on her face stood upright with her hands on her tighs, highlighting her breasts.

"Melons?..." stared the guy looking at her huge breasts, like the others.

"He he hee... because the guys at schools were always sweating to have a glimpse at these melons.." she winked.

"So... I will read mine now." said Hei shyly. "Yuuki...probably it's an alias for Yuki, am i wrong?"

"Yes!.. right on spot!" smiled Yuki.

"So, you really must be a courageous person, right, Yuki-san?" asked Hei.

"Well, kind of... it was more like i did some crazy stuff in the past like climbing on a mountain or skydiving..."

"İs that true?" said the rocker unbelievingly.

"You're one crazy sister too, aren't you? Ha ha ha ha..." laughed the drunk girl.

"You must have had an exciting life..." said Hei smilingly.

"Exciting.. yes, it was exciting most of the time." replied Yuki with a hint of a deeper meaning in her voice.

"Well.. i'm the last one, but let me read it anyway.." she said and looked at the card in her hand.

"Black.. i see, that's because your eyes and hair are all black, isn't it?" she asked, carefully examining his face.

"True..." smiled Hei closing his eyes.

"Wait.. let me guess your name too, since i haven't still heard it. Just for fun, ok?" she asked enthusiastically.

"Yeah!.. go for it, sis!" cheered the group.

"Guess... but how?" Hei puzzled.

"Of course, you'll give me a hint.. like tell me one vowel in your name.. and you are chinese, as the landlady said, right? It won't be impossible to guess.. let's try!"

"Well.. ok then. The vowel is – i – ."

"İ... hmm.. let me see.." she muttered, closed her eyes for a few seconds still holding the card in her hand. The group looked at her in wonder.

"...could it be..." she opened her eyes. "Hei?.."

Hei widened his eyes in surprise.

"Noo.. sis, you failed! İt's Li-san, Li-san!.." cheered the drunk girl.

"Li-san?.." with a disappointment in her face. "really?.. for a moment i thought i was right..."

"That name... why did you say that name?.." Hei asked curiously.

"Well no specific reason.. it just popped up in my mind, that's all... ah!.. by any chance did they call you by that name?..

"Well.. to be honest it was an old alias, but my real name is Li Shenshung."

"Haaaa?... you guessed it right then? That's amazing, sis! Cool!" cheered the astonished group.

"Really, that's amazing that you could guess my old alias... i wonder how you could do it, if it's not too rude to ask?.." asked Hei interested.

"Well.. i've given myself away, didn't i? Eh eh..." smiled Yuki. "I have always been good at guessing stuff... at least that's what my friends claim.."

"Guessing?.."

"Yes... small things like guessing names or weather or the place of something i lost... sometimes i just get a feel where it is or how the weather will be, and it turns out to be right a lot of times.. strange, isn't it?.." smiled Yuki.

"Wow... then sister you must be a psychic, right! Cool! By any chance, can you guess the lottery numbers too?" cried the rocker.

"Ha ha.. i wouldn't call myself a psychic.. I think my intuition is right a lot of times, that's all" replied Yuki softly.

"Still, it's a lucky thing for you to be able to trust in your intuition like that." Said Hei kindly.

"Well.. i wouldn't say it hasn't helped me on occations.. but still i think depending on reason is the best way in important matters"

"I think so, too.." he replied smiling. "Well, i have to go now. It was nice meeting you, Yuki-san. If you need any help with your moving i'll be next door."

"Thank you.."

"Then, if you excuse me...see you all later."

"See you later... Li-san?.." Yuki called him as he turned to go. He looked back:

"Yes?.."

"Li-san is fine... but i think Hei has a really nice ring to it, and somehow it feels like i'll be more comfortable with it.. if it won't be a bother to you, can i call you Hei?" asked Yuki with a childish eagerness.

Momentarily surprised by the question, "Ah... well, if you like it, then please..." he replied kindly.

"Really? Ok, then.. Hei! see you later!"

Hei bowed to her, turned around and left .

_Did she discover my identity?.. _he mused as he walked. _I was never called by my alias when she was near me on mission... and she didn't seem to have any ties with the organization... even if she knows my identity it's meaningless to reveal it like that.. perhaps as she said she really has a strong intuition... _

Hei had heard about the existance of such extraordinary people even before the gate appeared who had the ability to read minds, sense far away events or see future through dreams or visions. Some of these had different abilities like bending objects or moving them with the power of their mind. Throughout history there had always been people like that, called by names such as shamans, devils, prophets, psychics or mediums. A lot of research had been made on these people before the appearance of the gate, with no common root to their abilities were found other than an extraordinary level of what's called the sixth sense.

_Right..._ _even before the gate there had been different people.. but they were harmless humans..._ Now that contractors wih such deadly powers had appeared, all the talk about psychics were forgotten.

_Anyway, i'd better look more carefully into it later, just to be sure she doesn't sense anything more than necessary..._

In front of the veranda Yuki said to the group:

"Well... I need to get back to my room to arrange things... but thank you all guys, it was fun!"

"Drop by us again anytime, sis!"

"See ya!"

"lets play the lottery next time!" cheered the group as she smiled and walked towards the stairs.

_Hei... he feels so familiar... I'm sure i have seen him before somewhere but... or is it just a resemblance... where was it... aaaah i just can't remember!.. _Defeated, she walked back to her door.

"That was the last item, miss. We'll be leaving if everything's all right with you." said the middle aged man leading the carriers.

"Everything seems fine... thanks for your work!" she said.

"Then if you'll excuse us, have a nice day."

"You too!" she said and closed the door of her new apartment.

_I have a feeling this new room will be the start of a new life!.. well its a little too small, but... feels kind of exciting! Now let's see how i can organize all these stuff properly..._


End file.
